Men’s basketball Head Coach Ed Cooley is known throughout the country as one of the nation’s best recruiters.
Cooley has lived up to that reputation, bringing in a freshmen class that could carry the Stags for the next four years.
The class includes one guard, Devin Johnson at 6-foot-4, and four forwards, Greg Nero, Rich Flemming, Roi Buchbinder (all 6-foot-7) and Anthony Johnson, who is 6-foot-8.
The five talented freshmen face the difficult task of adjusting to college, while also being counted on to step right in and contribute to the basketball team.
So far senior, Marty O’Sullivan has been impressed by the play of the freshmen.
“All the freshmen are good at certain things, they really add to our team and will bring a lot to the team this year and in years to come,” he said. “In this new system everyone can score at any time, we need guys to step up and score and be producers, so the freshmen will have the chance to do that right from the start.”
The Stags will play a difficult non-conference schedule this season, meaning that the freshmen will be called upon to play well right from the start and will be thrust right into pressure situations.
Cooley would rather see the freshmen gain experience in a pressure situation earlier in the season, than be forced into it during the MAAC tournament at the end of the year.
“It [tough games] will be good for them. They can learn from the pressure situations and already be prepared for the pressure that they will face when it comes to the tournament at the end of the season,” said Cooley.
The Stags’ men’s team started three freshmen against Bridgeport in last week’s exhibition game: Flemming, Nero and Anthony Johnson.
Devin Johnson came off of the bench and played longer than any of his three fellow freshmen, playing for 24 minutes and scoring six points to go along with seven rebounds.
Buchbinder, a native of Israel, did not play, because of paperwork issues with the NCAA clearinghouse. Nero, who had missed practice last week because of the flu, played 15 minutes but still showed his skill during his time on the court, putting up eight points and collecting four rebounds. Flemming had four points and five rebounds, but it was Anthony Johnson who was most impressive, scoring eleven points, all in the second half, and leading the team with eight rebounds.
Johnson also had the highlight of the game, flying in for a rebound and dunking it down.
Nero, from Red Hook, N.Y., features a good combination of strength and athletic ability. He can play well down low, while also being able to hit shots from the outside, giving the Stags a good inside-outside threat. Nero showed his ability during the Red-White Scrimmage, scoring six points, but appeared a little shaky during the game against Bridgeport, although that could be contributed to his missing practice time.
Anthony Johnson was the most impressive player on the court last week and the Lake Wales, Fla. native should step in along with Nero to be a key player right from the start.
Johnson can block shots well, and his strength will make him a force in the paint.
Flemming, from Upland, Pa. can play both inside and outside. He averaged a double double in high school, scoring 16 points per game and averaging ten rebounds a game.
Buchbinder has gathered valuable experience playing on the Israeli under-18 team, but has not been able to practice yet for the Stags.
Last season, Buchbinder played at the Cornerstone Christian School in Texas. Buchbinder is solid in the paint and is also accurate from behind the three point line.
Devin Johnson is a smart player whose main strength is his ability to run the game and make good passes. He also averaged a double double in high school, with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists per game.
Senior guard Michael Van Schaik feels that the freshmen have quickly become a part of the team.
“They are all fitting in well, it is a learning experience for them just as it was when I was a freshman,” he said. “With their athletic ability, they will definitely help out a lot all season.”
Sophomore point guard Jonathan Han thinks that the freshmen will play an important role for the Stags this season.
“They all bring energy and different skills to the team, which is a big help as everyone is going to have to step up at different times in this system. They really add to our depth,” he said.
Cooley believes that it will take time for the freshmen to really live up to their potential.
“We have to be patient; they have a lot to learn,” he said. “We need to educate them as to who we want them to be.”
With five talented freshmen, the Stags’ basketball team looks to be in good shape for the next four seasons.
Although the freshmen could suffer from growing pains as they are thrust into the spotlight early in their careers, it should pay off down the line as the five gain experience that can help them quickly live up to their potential and develop into the great basketball players that they are expected to be.
Leave a Reply